title: Prognostic factors in neuroendocrine tumours of the lung: a single-centre experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the independent prognostic role of histological subtypes, tumour size and lymph nodal involvement upon survival in lung neuroendocrine tumours (NETs).
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective search of the database of the Department of Thoracic Surgery (Turin, Italy) identified 157 patients operated on for a newly diagnosed NET between January 1995 and December 2011. Multivariable Cox models were used to analyse predictors of overall survival and progression-free survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to histology, 71 (45.2%) were typical carcinoids (TCs), 35 (22.3%) atypical carcinoids (ACs), 37 (23.6%) large-cell neuroendocrine carcinomas (LCNCs) and 14 (8.9%) small-cell lung carcinomas (SCLCs). After a median follow-up time of 6.5 years, 60 patients died and 73 had a recurrence or died. The overall 5-, 10- and 15-year survival rates were 64%, 53% and 46%, respectively. Older age, histology (ACs, LCNCs and SCLCs vs TCs) and lymph nodal involvement were confirmed to be independent negative prognostic factors in the multivariable models for overall survival and progression-free survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tumour histology and lymph nodal involvement are definitively the predominant and relevant factors influencing survival. ACs showed an intermediate prognosis between TCs and poorly differentiated NETs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Pier Luigi
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Filosso
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ruffini
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Di Gangi
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guerrera
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bora
authors.forename: Giovannino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciccone
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Galassi
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Solidoro
authors.forename: Paraskevas
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lyberis
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oliaro
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sandri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Carcinoid; Large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma; Lung cancer; Metastases; Neuroendocrine tumours; Small-cell lung cancer; Surgery